Oxytropis campestris
Astragalogia (qto.), 26, 74; (fol.), 20, 59. 1802.
Plants cespitose, appearing acaulescent, 4–86 cm, herbage pilose, silky-pilose, hirsute, or glabrescent. Leaves 2–40 cm; stipules membranous, stramineous to black, ovate to lanceolate, apex acuminate, glabrous, strigose, or pilose abaxially, margins usually ciliate, often with clavate processes; leaflets 7–45, opposite, subopposite, scattered, or fasciculate, blades oblong to lanceolate or obovate, 1–30(–33) × 1–9(–11) mm, surfaces ± pilose. Peduncles 2–36(–48) cm, axis 0.3–10(–23) cm in fruit, pilose, villous-pilose, or glabrate; bract narrowly lanceolate, longer than pedicel, sometimes surpassing calyx, pilose. Racemes 2–30+-flowered, ± lax in fruit. Calyces cylindric, 7–10 mm, hairs white, or black and white, loosely pilose; tube (3.7–)4–9 mm, lobes 0.5–3(–4) mm. Corollas white, whitish, yellowish, pink, pink-purple, lavender, blue, purplish-tinged, or purplish, keel tip maculate or not, (10–)12–20(–23) mm. Legumes erect, sessile or subsessile, cylindric, 8–27 × 3.5–7(–9) mm, partially bilocular (by intrusion of adaxial suture), papery to leathery or membranous, pilose.
Distribution
North America, Eurasia.
Discussion
Varieties ca. 15 (12 in the flora).
Comparison of North American materials of the Oxytropis campestris complex with the Linnaean type and with other authentic specimens from Eurasia indicates a close relationship. The phases, as they occur in North America, are closely matched by their Eurasian counterparts. Such similarities are not easily discounted. An inclusive, rather than an exclusive, approach is indicated and is herein adopted.
Selected References
None.
Lower Taxa
Key
| 1 | Corollas usually purple, rarely white; east of 90th meridian. | > 2 |
| 2 | Racemes (3–)5–9-flowered, axis 0.3–1.5 cm in fruit, peduncles curved-ascending, 3–15(–18) cm; calyx lobes deltate, 0.5–1.5(–2) mm. | Oxytropis campestris var. minor |
| 2 | Racemes 7–12(–14)-flowered, axis 1.5–9(–11) cm in fruit, peduncles erect, (4–)8–36 cm; calyx lobes usually lanceolate, (1–)2–3 mm. | > 3 |
| 3 | Stipules glabrous or sparsely pilose abaxially; herbage silky-pilose becoming glabrate; legumes 14–27 mm; Maine, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec. | Oxytropis campestris var. johannensis |
| 3 | Stipules pilose; herbage often loosely and copiously pilose; legumes 8–15 mm; Wisconsin. | Oxytropis campestris var. chartacea |
| 1 | Corollas white, whitish, yellowish, purple, pink-purple, lavender, blue, bluish, pink, or polychrome; west of 90th meridian. | > 4 |
| 4 | Corollas mostly purple, lavender, blue, or pink-purple, sometimes polychrome. | > 5 |
| 5 | Plants 4–12(–16) cm; racemes 8–12(–14)-flowered, subcapitate or somewhat elongate; n Alaska, Northwest Territories, Yukon. | Oxytropis campestris var. roaldii |
| 5 | Plants (9–)12–45 cm; racemes (5 or)6–15+-flowered, ± open or elongate; Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Minnesota, North Dakota, Northwest Territories, Washington. | > 6 |
| 6 | Leaflets, at least some, fasciculate; corollas usually pink-purple or bluish, sometimes polychrome; sw Alberta, n British Columbia, Northwest Territories. | Oxytropis campestris var. davisii |
| 6 | Leaflets scattered or subopposite; corollas purple, blue, pink, white, yellowish, or polychrome (in populations, rarely all one color); Manitoba, Minnesota, North Dakota, Washington. | > 7 |
| 7 | Leaflet blades ovate, linear-lanceolate, or narrowly oblong; Manitoba, Minnesota, North Dakota. | Oxytropis campestris var. dispar |
| 7 | Leaflet blades linear to narrowly oblong; Grant County, Washington. | Oxytropis campestris var. wanapum |
| 4 | Corollas usually white, whitish, yellowish, or polychrome, rarely purplish. | > 8 |
| 8 | Racemes usually 2–9-flowered; plants 5–12(–18) cm; n Alaska, British Columbia, Mackenzie Mountains, Northwest Territories, Yukon. | Oxytropis campestris var. jordalii |
| 8 | Racemes (3–)8–30-flowered; plants (4–)12–55 cm; Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Colorado, Idaho, Manitoba, Montana, North Dakota, Northwest Territories, Oregon, Saskatchewan, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, Yukon. | > 9 |
| 9 | Stipule margins ciliate, with clavate processes; Alaska, n British Columbia to ne Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Yukon. | Oxytropis campestris var. varians |
| 9 | Stipule margins ciliate or eciliate, usually without clavate processes; Alberta, British Columbia, Colorado, Idaho, Manitoba, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, Saskatchewan, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming. | > 10 |
| 10 | Leaflets (13–)17–33; elevations 1200–2300 m; Alberta, British Columbia, Colorado, Idaho, Manitoba, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, Saskatchewan, South Dakota, Washington, Wyoming. | Oxytropis campestris var. spicata |
| 10 | Leaflets 7–17(–19); elevations 300–3400 m; Alberta, British Columbia, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming. | > 11 |
| 11 | Plants 4–15(–21) cm; corollas whitish or yellowish, keel not maculate; subalpine or alpine; Alberta, British Columbia, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming. | Oxytropis campestris var. cusickii |
| 11 | Plants (13–)19–30(–35) cm; corollas white, keel maculate; riparian; Flathead Lake, Montana, and Columbia River above Spokane, Washington. | Oxytropis campestris var. columbiana |